Our Top 10 Most Common Nightmares
I generally remember my dreams, but now they're more vivid than ever because I'm taking Chantix. This isn't my first time taking Chantix to stop smoking. I tried it about ten years ago and quit taking it because I was having strange dreams. In one particular dream, I socked my then-husband, Keith, square in the nose because I had come home to every single box and item from our attic in our living room open and strewn around and all I could think was that I was going to be the one to have to clean it all up. Of course, it was all in my head, but I'm not a violent person and I was nervous about any possible mood changes. I had heard horror stories about the side effects of Chantix and I got scared, plus, I'm not sure I was ready to quit smoking yet.
Well, due to a friend recently being diagnosed with lung cancer, I'm ready to quit. I called my doctor and picked up my Chantix prescription the next day. In just shy of a week in taking the drug and I'm remembering my dreams in crazy detail. Except this time around, they're not threatening. It's more like I'm living out insane dreams I didn't know I had, like competing in cross country, becoming more athletic, and the like. Strange, right? Especially during a time that the New York Post says more than 60% of Americans are having a hard time sleeping due to stress and anxiety over COVID-19.
Apparently, I'm not alone in getting mad at someone in a dream though. According to the New York Post, 42% of us get mad at folks for what they supposedly did to us while we were asleep. It's a scary thought to know that you could have been minding your p's and q's and still end up in the dog house!
So, what are folks having bad dreams about? According to the study referenced by the New York Post, the most common nightmares we deal with are being chased, falling, being attacked, running late, being lost or trapped, waking up late, someone you love is dying, being visited by a deceased loved one or a ghost, dying yourself, and being left by your significant other.
Wow! That's some pretty heavy stuff. I guess I'm weird. If I'm going to dream about something, it's usually revisiting a conversation with someone where I actually say what I wanted to because I'm bad at confrontation, going window shopping, and decorating never-ending homes. Don't judge me! We all process things during our sleeping hours differently. Maybe I need to get my house in order? Either way, I want to know... Is the coronavirus pandemic causing you to have bad dreams or interrupting your sleep? Inquiring minds want to know!